Planoohaph co



J. N. RICHARDSON AND E. A. MULLER.

'FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22.1914.

Patented'July 22, 1919.

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THE COLUMBIA FLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

J. N. RICHARDSON AND E. A. MULLER.

FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22. 1914.

1,3 1 ,092. Patented'July 22, 1919.

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4-7; I lllllllllllll 1 THE COLUMBIA PLANUGRAPH cch, WASHINGTON. n. c.

Stimulus 1.. N. RICHARDSON AND E. A. MULLER.

FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22- l9|4.

, 1,311,092. "Patented July 22, 1919.

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JOHN N. RICHARDSON AND EDWARDA. MULLER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A'SSIGNORS TO THE WILLIAMSON HEATER COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

FURNACE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J OIIN N. RICHARD- soN and EDWARD A. MULLER, citizens of the United States, and residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Furnace, of Which the following specification is a full disclosure.

Our invention relates to a furnace underfeed mechanism. a

One of the objects: of the invention is to provide a mechanism for forcing the fuel upwardly through the grate-bars in a vertical plane in a manner evenly distributing the same, so as to form the lower strata of green fuel. The more volatile gases will be liberated and passed up uniformly through the successively hot strata and burn near the surface with maximum efficiency. Therefore, there is. a stoking principle inherent in this type of under-feed.

WVhile under-feed devices are broadly old, one of the principles of our invention comprises a fuel holder movable from filling to charging position, receiving fuel downwardly by gravity, and charging it upwardly in a vertical position in a series of step movements. The container has preferably a capacity approximating a. full charge, so that it, is not necessary to make return trips of 'the container, and the periodic fuel charge is in a constant predetermined volume, adequate to the capacity of the particular furnace.

Another object of our invention is to provide a fuel under-feed requiring a minimum expenditure of power to operate.

Preferably the charger or piston while moving upwardly by steps in charging, has the capacity of freely moving downwardly into position for loading the container with the fuel. 7

Also preferably we provide one mechanism for operating the container and another for operating the charger.

Another object of the invention is to provide in the ashpit, an annulus constituting a fuel charging port, and to provide the container with a shut-off extension, the faces of the piston and said extension having spherical concentricity effectually seatlng against the annulus, but slidable thereunder in the arc of a circle, constituting a convex movable bottom. for the annulus supporting Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 22, 1919.

Application filed June 22, 1914. Serial N 0. 846,486.

the fuel at this portion of the grate-bar, and also enabling the use of an annulus hav- 1ng uniform longitudinal dimensions, permitting of the relative sliding of the piston and extension surface owing to their spherical contour.

Another object of the invention is to provide for filling the cylinder or fuel magazine through a door in the wall of the ashpit.

Another object of the invention is to produces fuel under-feed capable of co'o'perating with the grate-bar of the oscillating type.

Other features of the invention relate to the structural element of a furnace adapting it to more advantageous coordination Vl ltl the cylinder and piston typeof under- Another object of the invention relates to the operative mechanism for unitarily rocking the cylinder and piston, and for step operating the piston independently of the container rocking mechanism, and for rocking the gratebar, these operating mechanisms having independent actuators exterior of the ashpit adjacently arranged for convenient, independent operations.

Drawings have been annexed as a part of this disclosure, like characters of reference denoting corresponding parts throughout the several figures, of which Figure 1 is a central section taken through the ash-pit and easing of the furnace, showing, the cylinder and operating mechanism in elevation.

Fig. 2 1s a central vertical section taken through the entire device, the cylinder being in its normal position ready for loading.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device, the cylinder being in the same position as shown in Fig. 1. V

Fi 4 is a plan view of the spider, showing tie same connected to the casing of the furnace.

Fig. '5 is a front elevation of a part of the furnace casing, showing the lever socket and connection for operating the grate of the furnace.

Fig. 6 is a cross section of the grate, showing the bearing ring mounted thereon.

Fig. 7 is a centralsection taken through the cylinder of the device showing the plunger in its uppermost position.

Fig. 8 is a detailed perspective view of the operating arms and link for operating the lunger.

Fig. 9 is a detail elevation of the pawl and ratchet mechanism for operating the plunger of the device.

Fig. 10 is a similar view illustrating the release mechanism for the pawl.

Fig. 11 is a detail view of the triangular operating member for tilting the cylinder to that position shownin Fig. 2.

Fig. 12 is a detail of the pivot pin upon which the pawl and ratchet mechanism is mounted.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the mechanism for shaking and rotating the grate.

Structural features of furnace.

The combustion chamber 1 has the gratebar bottom 2, formed with a central fuel charging port 3, opening vertically into the ash-pit 4c. Preferably the ash-pit comprises a super-section in which is mounted the under-feed mechanism, and a sub-compartmentconstituting the ash-cellar and from which the ashes are to be shoveled. The wall of this slilper-ash-pit section is formed with a front opening door 5, constituting when open, a fuel inlet port enabling the fuel to be shovelcd directly into the magazine or container of the under-feed. The grate-bar detail is shown in Fig; 6, comprising a toothed or rack-ring G, carrying the grate and having the peripheral under teeth 7 for oscillating the grate. To the under side of the grate-bar 6 is secured a bearing ring 8.

Inthe upper portion of the super-a.sl1-pit is an annulus 9, constituting a charging port registering with the grate port 3, the wall 10 of the annulus, see Fig. 1, being of uniform longitudinal dimension. The radial arms 11, of the annulus are secured to the ash-pit wall, and upon the upper surface of said arms are positioned the pairs of tracking and bearing rollers 12, 13, for rotatably supporting the bearing ring 8 enabling the grate to be oscillated on its axis for shaking out ashes and clinkers.

It is to be understood that preferably the under-feed elements and organization are designed to be coordinated with the shaking type of grate-bar and also to provide a convenient association of the respective operating mechanisms.

Primary under-feed elements.

The fuel feed comprises a container or magazine 14, and a reciprocal charger 15, movable longitudinally of the container, these devices being specifically shown as a cylinder and piston, in the engineering sense, the piston and cylinder being arranged to be unitarily rocked on their lower or pivotal ends, to and from the fuel charging position, shown in Figs. 1 and 7, and the position for filling the magazine, shown in Fig. 2.

It may be assumed that the receiving position is normal, the container being inclined to the vertical, with its upper open end tilted relatively to the ash-pit door 5, enabling coal to be shoveled into the magazine, constituting a gravity filling, while in charging position the upper end of the container is vertically alined relative to the charging port defined by the members 2, 10. The wall of the container is formed with diametrically opposed downward projections 16, fulcrumed on bearings 17 supported by the walls of the ash-pit, enabling the unitary rocking of the cylinder and piston so as to swing its upper end in a predetermined are and providing a clear space between the extensions 16 for portions of the piston operating mechanism. The rear portion of the container relative to the front door 5 has a follower extension 18, the upper spherical surface 19 being flush with the upper periphery of the container. Preferably this spherical extension is reinforced with quadrant webs 20, connecting the rear wall of the container with the inner surface of the extension, and providing convenient bear-' stroke it registers or seats against the under surface of the annulus 9, forming a convex bottom for the grate-bar, the two spherical surfaces being absolutely concentric, enabling them to be moved in the arc of a circle under the annulus, maintaining the charging port closed throughout the movement from the position shown in Fig. 7, to that shown in Fig. 2. On thereturn from the position shown in Fig. 2, the parts will be in the position shown in Fig. 1, ready for raising the piston to under feed the load of coal upwardly through the grate bar port into the combustion chamber.

This spherical concentricity of the piston and shut-oil extension, enables the employment of an annulus having uniform longitudinal dimensions, for if these surfaces were of cylindrical instead of spherical contour, the under surface of the annulus would operating thepiston independently of the mechanism for unitarily rocking the cylinder and piston,'andi11' orde'r'to effect this result with a minimum expenditure of manual force, we preferably pprovide a step movement operation for raising the charger when in vertical position," with" releasing means, enabling the piston to be bodily dropped to a receiving position when the container is in the inclined position required for filling the magazine.

Furthermore, these results can be best effected by providing mechanism for unitarily rocking the cylinder and piston, but inoperative with relation to the' piston, and mechanism for operating the piston inoperative with relation to the rocking mechanism, the respective mechanisms having independent actuators exterior of the ash-pit.

unitarily rocking the cylin- Preferably the sub-ash pit .has a front ledge 22, to which is attached .the base plate 23 in front of the ash-pit and to one side of the door 5, said plate forming an outer support for the external ends of the several op erating mechanisms, enablingthem to be adjacently and conveniently disposed, asshown in Fig. 3. p a

' To the base plate 23 is ,fulcrumed a rocking member 24 specifically shown as, a triangle plate having a leversocket 25, for interchangeably supporting the operating handle 26. Said rocking member 24 is pivotally connected to the under portion of the container by means of .a link 27, passing through a slot in the ash-pit wall at one side of the front door, see Figs. 1 and 3. This provision for unitarily rocking the cylinder and piston will be readily understood upon a comparative regard, of Figs. 1' and 3, it being understood that although, the means for rocking the cylinder and for operating thepiston are both connected to the member 24, that they areoperated independently, andthat the member 24 has the sole operative function of rocking the cylinder piston, the positions into which the outer ends of the piston operating mechanism are moved by the rocking member 24 for shifting the container, having no functional significance, whereas the independence of these, respective actuations is functional. Mechanism f0? independent actuation of the piston.

For greater explicitness, we will first describe the interior portion, respective to the ash-pit, of the piston operating means, the

its inner end being pivoted to link 31, the

' upper end of which is in turn pivoted to the side wall of the container, as shown. in Fig,

3, and it is pivoted to a draw-bar or link 35 extending outwardly through a slot in the ash-pit wall. It will, of course, be understood that the members 29, 30, 33, 34, constitute a rocking unit in the nature of a bell crank lever, and that when said unit is rocked on shaft 28 the piston will be appropriately raised and lowered.

The front end of bar 35 is for'med with the medial longitudinal slots 36 and also with the ratchet teeth 37 on the upper and lower margins of the front end of the bar, and the details for actuating this step moving bar exterior of the ash-pit are best shown in Figs. 912.

38 represents a rocking member fulcrumed on a rod 39, said rod being secured to the rocking member 24, as designated at 40. Rod 39 is formed with a slide-block 41, positioned in the slot of bar 35, thus enabling said bar and the rocking member 38, to have relative longitudinal movement, enabling said bar to be moved forwardly for raising the piston or rearwardly, that is, into the ash-pit, for lowering the pistons, as will be understood from dotted lines and relative positions indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Two pawls 42 are pivoted to the rocking member 38 on opposite sides of the fulcrum point 39, their free ends extending forwardly appropriate to the ratchet formation, and beingdrawn together by spring 43, so as to operatively engage alternatively the upper and lower ratchet teeth 37, providing a step movement ofthe bar 35, and hence the piston, when the member 38 is rocked, the slot ted connection permitting of this relative movement.

Preferably, themember 38 has the handle socket 4 5 for interchangeable use with the handle 26. In order to drop the piston, from the top to the bottom of the cylinder, when the container is in the inclined position for filling, we preferably provide a double cam member 46 pivoted on the rod 39 having lugs 47, cooperating with the pawl pins, and operated by treadle 49 for releasing the pawl and ratchet engagement, thus enabling the piston to be freely dropped by gravity or by slight inward pressure on the end of rod 35, restoring the parts to normal position, shown in Fig. 2-.

In order to oscillate the grate, we provide a segmental bearing slide-plate 50 secured to the upper portion of the interior ash-pit wall, having slide-way 51, in which is mounted a slide-block 52, through which passes a longitudinally reciprocating shaking-bar 53, see Fig. 13, having a detent 54: on its inner end for engagement with the teeth or rack 7 of the grate. Bar 53 may be slightly turned on its axis to radially swing detent 54 into and out of rack engagement. On the base plate 23 is fulcrumed a lever 55 constituting a socket for interchangeably supporting the handle 26 and rocking longitudinally relative to bar 53. The member 55 is given slight transverse play on its fulcrum for turning bar 53 on its axis. For this purpose the bar 53 has a downturned outer end 56 pinned to the bifurcated end 57 of the projection 58 extending from the swinging end of the lever 55.

Bar 53 is fixed to move longitudinally with slide-block 52, held by segmental slide bearings 51 and the bar or rod 53 may be slightly rotated in said slide-block for radially engaging or disengaging the rack teeth of the grate.

The three bars, 53 for grate manipulation, 35 for piston manipulation, and 27 for cylinder manipulation, are parallel, closely adjacent and extend from the interior of the ash-pit to an exterior position in relation to the base plate 23 upon which they are operativ'ely supported for independent operation, and preferably through the use of an interchangeable lever handle.

From this description it will be seen that we have provided a very efficient and convenient fuel under-feed, thoroughly adapted to non-skilled labor and entirely practical for household furnaces. WVhile the detailed operative mechanism shown is preferred, it is not necessarily of limiting significance as th principles of the invention are obviously. susceptible of various arrangements and organizations and of different structural embodiments.

A structural feature of advantage is provided in the method of forming and arranging the ash-pit door relative to the furnace body and easing walls.

In Fig. l the line 100 represents the vertical casing front wall, and the line 200 the front body wall of the furnace and aslrpit. The casing is not projected downward over the ash-pit, but terminates at the lower extremity of the combustion chamber, enabling the ash-pit door 5 to be relatively countersunk, and so disposed immediately adjacent the open end of the container when in the receiving position, so thatthe coal can be directly thrown into the mouth of the container, the lower periphery preferably projecting slightly through the lower portion of the ash-pit door opening, so that the coal cannot be shoveled into the subash-pit.

Having thus described our invention, we

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. A furnace formed with a circular fuel charging port in the center of the grate and a fuel inlet port in the wall, a container, means for moving said container to aline it with either of said ports, means for forcing the fuel upwardly through the container, and a spherical member movable with the container for blocking the charging port when the container is outof alinement therewith.

2. In a furnace having a circular, charging port in the grate of the combustion chamber, and a receiving port in the wall of the ash-pit, a container open at both ends, means for alternately alining said container with said ports, a charger having a spherical convex face movable longitudinally of the container and having a position at the upper end thereof at the end of a charging movement, forming a convex bottom sup port for the fuel above the charging port, and means for operating said charger.

3. A fuel underfeed for furnaces comprising an inclosed ash-pit having a fuel intake and a grate-bar formed with a fuel port, a container movable in the ash-pit for alternate registration with said intake and fuel port, a charger reciprocal in the container, mechanism interior and exterior of the ashpit for operating independently the container, and rectilineally moving transmission members passing through the ash-pit inclosure and operativ'ely connecting said interior and exterior mechanisms.

l. A fuel underfeed for furnaces comprising an inclosed ash-pit having a fuel intake, an oscillating grate having a central, cir-' cumferential fuel port, a cylinder in the ashpit movable for vertical alinement with said centralgrate port and for registration with said intake, the containerbeing formed with a follower contoured in relation to the cylinder movement to block said central grate port when the cylinder is out of alinement, enabling the grate to be moved on its axis without disturbin the concentric alinement of the port with the cylinder or follower, a piston in said cylinder, and means operative exterior of the ash-pit for independently moving said cylinder and reciprocating said piston.

5. A-furnace comprising a fire box having a substantially circular opening in its bottom. and an ash-pit having an opening in its wall, said openings-being disposed in close relationship in the arc of a circle, a container pivotally supported at its lower end to swing its upper endbelow and in the said 4 are of the ports, a spherical convex extension on the upper end of the container for closing the charging port when the container is out of alinement therewith, and a spherical convex-faced charger in the container dimension, a rocking container in the ashpit, a reciprocating charger in the container, an extension follower on the upper end of the container, the faces of the charger and extension having spherical concentricity to swing under the annulus, and forming a convex bottom therefor. v

7. In a furnace fuel underfeed, a cylinder and piston for receiving fuel in one position and feeding it upwardlyinto the combustion chamber in a vertical position, lever mechanisms for rocking the cylinder and piston, and lever actuated pawl and ratchet mechanism for raising the piston in step movements when in vertical position.

8. In a furnace fuel underfeed, a cylinder andpiston for receiving fuel in one position and feeding it upwardly into the combustion chamber in a vertical position, lever mechanism for rocking the cylinder and piston,

. lever actuated pawl and ratchet mechanism piston, and. cylinder extension having' for raising the piston in step movements when in vertical position, and releasing means for freely moving the piston to the bottom of the cylinder in fuel receivingposition. g I I 9. In a furnace fuel underfeed, a rocking cylinder and piston, a rocking memiber connected to the cylinder for moving it to and from receiving and charging positions, a lever pivoted to said rocking member, a ratchet bar connected to the piston for step operation, and pawl mechanism on said lever for operating the ratchet bar.

10. In a furnaceunderfeed, a cylinder, a

spherical concentricity forming a continuous spherical surface in one position of the piston, and an annular member registering 1 with said surfaces.

11. In a furnace underfeed, a cylinder, a piston and cylinder extension having spherical concentricity forming a continuous spherical surface in one position-of the piston, and an annular member registering with said surface, said annular mem er having uniform longitudinal dimensions en .a'bling saidspherical surfaces to swingin the arc of a circle forming ashut-off for'the annulus opening. I i I 12. In a fuel underfeed for furnaces, a

unitarily rocking cylinder and piston, rocking mechanism comprising a rock member directly connected with the cylinder, a piston operating means functionally independpit having a member extending to one side of the container, external actuating means and means operatively connecting said exterior and interior piston operating means;

14. In a fuel underfeed for furnaces, a combustion chamber and ash pit formed with a vertically coincident front wall, a casing surrounding the combustion chamber and projecting radially beyond the front wall, a door for the ash-pit front wall countersunk relatively to the outer casing line, an ash-pit fuel charging mechanism receiving a fuel supply through said ash-pit door and adapted to charge it upwardly into the combustion shamber, and actuating mechanism therefor.

15. In a fuel underfeed for furnaces, a combustion chamber and ash-pit formed with a vertically coincident front wall, a casing surrounding the combustion chamber and projecting. radially beyond the front wall, a door in the ash-pit front wall countersunk relatively to the outer casing line, a grate intermediate the ash-pit and combustion chamber having a vertically opened charging port, a unitarily rocking cylinder and piston in the ash-pit having a feeding furnace comprising a fire-box having a substantially circularadmission port, a charging cylinder pivoted beneath said port and adapted tobe rocked into and out of register therewith, a spherical cut-01f on said rocking cylinder, a piston in said cylinder having a spherical upper face and adapted to be brought into the same spherical surface as said cut-off and having the same radius of curvature, and means for reciprocating the piston in said cylinder.

17. A furnace comp-rising a fire-box having a charging opening in the bottom thereof, a charging cylinder adapted to be brought into and out of registry with said opening, an exterior actuator therefor, a piston in said cylinder, means comprising an independently operated actuator, lever, pawl and ratchet mechanism for raising said piston in a series of short reciprocal strokes, and means for lowering said piston in one movement.

18. A furnace comprisin a fire-box having a charging opening in the bottom thereof, a casing forming an ash pit beneath said fire-box, having an aperture in the front thereof, a charging cylinder pivotally mounted beneath the charging opening in the tireboX and adapted to be tilted into and out of registry therewith and into and out of registry with the opening in the casing, a rocking member pivoted in front of the opening in the casing, means for rockin said member, a link connecting said member and the charging cylinder whereby the latter may be tilted into registry with the charging opening in the fire-box and the aperture in the casing respectively, a piston in the cylinder, a lever pivotally mounted on the cylinder, a connectlon between the lever and piston whereby the latter may be reciprocated, a bar connected to said lever, a ratchet carried by said bar, a lever mounted 011 the rocking member, and a pawl mounted on the lever and engaging said bar for drawing the same forwardly.

19. A furnace comprising a fire-box having a charging opening in the bottom thereof, a casing forming an ash pit beneath said fire-box having an aperture in the front thereof, a charging cylinder pivotally mounted beneath the charging opening in the firebox and adapted to be tilted into and out of registry therewith and into and out of registry with the opening in the casing, a rocking member pivoted in front of the opening in the casing, means for rocking said member, a link connecting said member and the charging cylinder whereby the latter may be tilted into registry with the charging opening in the fire-box and the aperture in the casing respectively, a piston in the cylinder, a lever pivotally mounted on the cylinder, a connection between the lever and piston whereby the latter may be reciprocated, a bar connected to said lever, a ratchet carried by said bar, a lever mounted on the rocking member, a pawl mounted on the lever and engaging said bar for drawing the same forwardly, and means for releasing the pawl.

20. A furnace comprising a fire-box having a charging opening in the bottom thereof, a casing forming an ash pit beneath said fire-box having an aperture in the front thereof, a charging cylinder pivotally mounted beneath the charging opening in the fireboX and adapted to be tilted into and out of registry therewith and into and out of registry with the opening in the casing, a rocking member pivoted in front of the opening in the casing, means for rocking said member, a link connecting said member and the charging cylinder whereby the latter may be tilted into registry with the charging opening in the fire-box and the aperture in the casing respectively, a piston in the cylinder, a lever pivotally mounted on the cylinder, a connection between the lever and piston whereby the latter may be reciprocated, a bar connected to the lever, a double ratchet carried by the bar near its forward end, a lever mounted on the rocking member, a pair of pawls on the lever engaging the ratchet for drawing said bar forwardly.

21. A furnace comprising a fire-box having a charging opening in the bottom thereof, a casing forming an ash pit beneath said fire-box having an aperture in the front thereof, a charging cylinder pivotally mounted beneath the charging opening in the fire-boX and adapted to be tilted into and out of registry therewith and into and out of registry with the opening in the casing, a rocking member pivoted in front of the opening in the casing, means for rocking said member, a link connecting said member and the charging cylinder whereby the latter may be tilted into registry with the charging opening inthe fire-box and the aperture in the casing respectively, a piston in the cylinder, a lever pivotally mounted on the cylinder, a connection between the lever and pistonwhereby the latter may be reciprocated, a bar connected to the lever, a double ratchet carried by the bar near its forward end, a lever mounted on the rocking member, a pair of pawls on the lever engaging the ratchet for drawing said bar forwardly, and means on the rocking member for guiding said bar.

22. A fuel underfeed for the ash-pitof a heating furnace, comprising a grate formed with a fuel charging port, an ash-pit wall having a fuel receiving opening, a container movably mounted in the ash-pit for alternate registration with said port and opening, a container actuator movably mounted exterior of the ash-pit and connected with the container, a charger reciprocal in the container, charger operating mechanism carried by the container, and a charger actuator'mounted on the container actuator and connected to said charger operating mechanism within the ash-pit.

23. A fuel underfeed for the ash-pit of a heating furnace, comprising a grate formed with a: fuel charging port, an ash-pit wall having a fuel receiving opening, a container movably mounted in the ash-pit for alternate registration with said port and open-.

ing, a container actuator exterior of the ashpit connected to the container, a charger reciprocal in the container, a lever mechanism intermediately fulcrumed on the container having its weight end connected to the charger and its power endmoving upwardly to lower the charger, a charger actuator exterior of the ash-pit, and means connecting said charger actuator with the power end of said lever mechanism within the ash-pit.

24. A fuel underfeed for the ash-pit of a heating furnace, comprising a grate formed with a fuel charging port, an ash-pit wall having a fuel receiving opening, a container movable in the ash-pit between said port and opening, a charger reciprocal in the container, charger operating mechanism mounted on the container, horizontally parallel links connected at their inner ends respec tively to said container and charger operating mechanism, and means exterior of the ash-pit for moving said links in unison with the container and for independently operating the link connected to the charger.

' In witness whereof we hereunto subscribe our names as attested by the two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN N. RICHARDSON. EDWARD A. MULLER.

Witnesses:

F. J. SURNBROGK, G. A. HAMMA.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G 

